Cutting-tool for flues and tubes.



F. A. GRIER, JR.

CUTTING TOOL FOR FLUES AND TUBES.

APPLICATION HLED DEC-27, I9l5.

1,173,953. Patented Feb. 29,1916.

T15; .l '12 13 NW m w H"! 1 9 FREDERICK'A. GRIER, JR., OF SALISBURY, MARYLAND.

CUTTING-TOOL FOR FLUES AND TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 27, 1915.. Serial No. 68,903.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. Game, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salisbury, in the county of lVicomico and State of Maryland, have invented. new and useful Improvements in Cutting-Tools for Flues and Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flue or tube cutting tool particularly adapted for cutting flues or tubes out of boilers and the like, and one object of the same is to provide a tool of this class having a substantially solid cutter supportingbody readily insertible in a flue or tube end and operating to brace the latter during the cutting operation, which is eflected by one extremity of the cutting element, the latter being so fulcrumed in the body as to 'produce a shearing cut and having a direct and positive contact with the flue or tube, and thereby permit a flue or tube to be cut cleanly with more case and facility than is possible by a straight punching cut at right angles to the flue or tube and also to provide for a more ready removal of the cut flue or tube by reason of the absence of projection or bend of the cut portion of the flue or tube.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flue or tube cutting tool embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same partially broken away and shown applied to a flue or tube, the latter being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the improved tool and a portion of a flue or tube showing the operation of the cutter in full and dotted lines.

The improved tool comprises a body or block 5 having a guard flange 6 at one end preferably integrally formed therewith, both the body and flange being radially slotted, as at 7 Within the slot 7 one extremity of a cutting lever 8 is movably retained and may be of any suitable length. The body or block 5 is primarily of circular contour and is cut away or recessed at opposite portions on one side of the center, as at 9, to form fulcrum receiving lugs 10 in which a fulcrum pin 11 is'inserted, said pin extending transversely across the slot 7 and through the extremity of the lever S movably held by the said fulcrum pin within the slot. By this means a practical association of the fulcrum pin results without exposing the ends of the said pin at the periphery of the block or the surface of the latter which engages the flue or tube. The slot 7, at the center is enlarged and has a circular contour, as at 12, and the remaining portion of the slot is just slightly wider than the thickness ofthe end or eX- tremity of the lever 8 movable in the slot and whereby when the lever is thrown inwardly toward the center of the block a freer action thereof ensues, and, conversely, when the lever is moved outwardly from the center of the block it is closely confined in the slot or is prevented from having lateral or sidewise movement so as to bring the cutting member thereof in positive contact with the flue or tube to be cut. The body or block 5 also acts as a brace within the flue or tube operated upon during the cut ting action of the lever 8, and the flange 6 bears against the secured end of the flue or tube, as shown by Fig. 3, and as a consequence the tool is held in one position within the flue or tube end. The body or block 5 is of such length that when it is inserted in theend of the flue or tube to be out, the severance of the flue or tube will be eflected close to the joint of the said flue or tube with the boiler or other sheet, and it will also be understood that the body or block 5 with its flange 6 may be rotated manually within the flue or tube so as to position the cutting lever at various points within the interior of the flue or tube.

The main cutting element of the lever 8 consists of a lateral projection 13 integrally formed with the free end of the lever beyond the fulcrum pin 11, said lateral projection terminating in a cutter 14 and having a uniform arcuate movement with the end of the lever mounted in the body or block 5 during the cutting operation to produce a shearing cut, as indicated by full and dotted lines in Fig. 3. It will therefore. be seen that the cutter 14 has a positive operation or there is no lost motion or loose actuation of the cutter during the severance of the flue or tube by reason of the fact that the said cutter is integrally formed with the end of the lever mounted within the body or block 5. The lever 8 may be of any suitable length Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

and the end thereof beyond the fulcrum pin 7 11 is short so that a slight movement of the remaining portion of the lever will effect a quick action of the cutter 14L relatively to contact with the flue or tube to .be cut and give to the cutting end of the lever a forceful or powerful operation. Another advan-' tage of the shearing out which ensues by operation of the cutting leveris that the cutter 14 may be more readily disengaged ing from the center of the block andv fully through the two terminals including the flange and also outwardly in a lateral direc tion through the body and flange, and a cutting lever having one end snugly fulcrumed in the slot with a portion projected beyond the fulcrum thereof and continuing at one side into an integral offset having a cutter which is movable laterally through the slot, the cutter being fixed to the offset and operating by movement of the lever to produce a free cut, the body being snugly held within the flue or tube to which it is applied.

2. In a cutting tool for flues and tubes, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the substantially solid body having a slot radially extending from the center through the periphery thereof, and a cutting lever having a thickness slightly less than the width of the slot" and snugly fulcrumed in the latter and provided with a free portionin the I 'slot beyond the fulcrum thereof, the free 7 portion of the lever Within the slot beyond the fulcrum having an integral offset at one side edge terminating in a fixed cutter projecting outwardly and guided in its operation by the walls of theslot, the body snugly fitting within the flue or tube to which it is applied and the cutter operable to produce a shearing cut'relatively to a flue or tube and normally positioned close to the flue or tube.

8. In a cutting tool for flues and tubes, a substantially solid body mainly circular in form and having a slot radially extend ing from the center through the periphery bearing lugs, a lever having one end mountlever end across the slot and having its'opposite ends at a distance inwardly from the periphery of the main portion of the body,

the end of the lever within the slot having an oflset with a terminal cutter to produce a shearing cut relatively to a fiue or tube. j

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. V

FREDERICK A. GRIER, JR.

Witnesses:

E. FULLER,

ALAN X. GooDY, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. 0.

thereof, the body being recessed to form 

